


Bad Days

by hedgebitch



Category: Birds of Prey (Comic)
Genre: Breakfast with friends, English translation, F/F, Fluff and Angst, singing and dancing in the kitchen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-11
Updated: 2020-04-11
Packaged: 2021-03-01 16:47:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,681
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23590306
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hedgebitch/pseuds/hedgebitch
Summary: After a long night’s work, Barbara starts to feel the despair of knowing she can’t always save everyone. Luckily, Dinah and the other Birds of Prey are always there to change her mind.
Relationships: Barbara Gordon/Dinah Lance
Comments: 4
Kudos: 26





	Bad Days

**Author's Note:**

  * A translation of [Días malos](https://archiveofourown.org/works/23119231) by [taniadh](https://archiveofourown.org/users/taniadh/pseuds/taniadh). 



Barbara let out a long sigh. She took off her glasses to pinch the bridge of her nose between her thumb and index finger, looking to alleviate some of the pressure she’d been bearing for the past few hours. It had been a long night.

The escape attempt at Arkham had forced her to have to mobilize practically the entire team of supers in the area. And even though she’d completed her objective, seeing the final “report” of tonight’s victims that Batman had sent her, everything leveled out into an empty victory. Twenty robberies, two gang fights, one murder… In pragmatic terms supervillains breaking out from Arkham was far more preoccupying and something that needed to be contained—like they had managed to—but, after the final tally, each one of those cases was a person who had suffered an attack that night. A person who might have believed that at the very last moment one of the many superheroes would appear, someone who had trusted in them, and who they in turn had failed. 

Gotham was an implacable city; she never gave her heroes a chance to rest. It seemed like for every villain or delinquent they managed to stop, three would appear in their place. Like Sisyphus rolling the boulder up the hill, each night the superheroes would put their suits back on and try to balance the scales towards good. A force that, on nights like this, seemed useless.

The light filtering in through the window made its way through the room that, for too many hours, had only been illuminated by the light from its screens. And even the imposing Oracle was thankful for the promise of rest that dawn, shining over the horizon, brought them. She knew she couldn’t have more than a few hours of sleep; the bad guys never rested and, ever since the entire superhero community started reporting to her, rest had all but disappeared from her life. It’s not that she cared too much about delivering victories, but after a night like this, coupled with a week of the same, the guilt and the idea of not being enough weighed heavily.

Her hands flew over the keyboard to turn off connections and leave the program on automatic. Her work day, for the moment, was over. With resignation, she maneuvered the wheels of her chair backwards. Only then did she allow the mundane necessities of being a person to assault her; although, in the moment, she couldn’t tell if she was feeling the hunger or the drowsiness more, let alone the last time she'd done anything about either. Exhaustion had taken over her, and she didn’t trust that just a few hours of sleep would be sufficient. What was the point of continuing to try if they always ended up losing to someone? It was a battle they couldn’t win.

Sudden music interrupted her thoughts without a moment’s hesitation. More intrigued than scared, she followed the sound, advancing through the clocktower until she arrived in the kitchen area, where she had to give into surprise at the scene laid out in front of her. 

Dinah Lance, also known as the Black Canary, a member of the Justice League, vigilante in Seattle for many years, and, now, her major player in Gotham with the Birds of Prey. A superheroine renowned by all of society, she stood in the middle of the kitchen, dressed in cotton shorts and a Wayne Enterprises merch shirt. A t-shirt that Barbara recognized as her own, because, years ago, when she was still Batgirl, and had ended up in the filthy waters of the harbor, that had been the only spare clothing she could find in the batcave. An ugly and stupid merch shirt that, nevertheless, on Dinah looked like the latest fashion trend. Why did everything have to look so good on her? It wasn’t fair.

But even the image of Dinah with her hair messy, makeup off, and dressed up in that “attire” was the most striking thing. No. The most remarkable thing was the improvised concert she had begun, singing “Higher Love” by Steve Winwood, using the spatula like a microphone and occasionally to cook the eggs that were already sizzling in the frying pan. The radio in the background was a nice accompaniment, but it was Zinda’s encouragement and whistles that were making the blonde get more excited with every line.

“Here we go!” encouraged the singer when she got to the chorus. Without slowing the sway of her shoulders, she ducked down slightly to move her hips to the rhythm of the song.

She didn’t have to insist much. In just a moment, Zinda joined her, compensating for her lack of talent with an enthusiasm that had little Sin breaking out into raucous laughter. The girl hadn’t been with them for much time, only a few months, but she was getting more and more accustomed to this new life. A life not as normal as it should have been, but far more so than the one she would have had as the heir to Lady Shiva. And seeing how Dinah’s face lit up with pure happiness to see how Sin, little by little, was starting to react how a girl her age should, was the greatest reward.

“That’s right!”

Dinah congratulated her before returning her attention to the other frying pan, where she was already flipping the pancakes to turn them, hardly paying any attention. A feat she would never have believed her eyes had seen, if not for Zinda’s bomb-proof stomach, which tirelessly dared to try every breakfast the Canary had prepared over the last month, until she achieved something resembling food. The whole team owed a lot to Lady Blackhawk.

“Helena, I haven’t heard you sing…” Dinah said. 

“And you never will. I don’t plan on singing that stupid song.” Helena poured herself a cup of coffee, making clear her sole intention of eating breakfast.

Barbara directed her gaze towards the only person keeping calm in the kitchen. Of course, Helena had a serious look on her face that, when her eyes met with the redhead’s, did nothing to conceal the small lift of a smile in the corner of her lips as she shrugged. 

A moment later she heard Zinda jeering, followed by grimacing and sticking out her tongue, and a new wave of laughter from Sin, who was far too entertained by the whole situation to even try a bite of “those american delicacies.” But Dinah was too busy following along with the lyrics to worry about her friend’s lack of cooperation.

Barbara had to cover her mouth with her hand to avoid laughing loudly when Dinah began to improvise a new dance that, from any other person, would have looked totally ridiculous, and that Zinda was quick to join in on.

“Can we eat breakfast, just for once? Some of us have to go to work, and others to school.” Helena’s reprimand would have been more successful if they couldn’t make out the smile between the words. Seeing Sin with her syrup stained face, moving her arms to the beat from her chair, while, in the background, the other two women attempted to do some kind of dance was just too amusing.

“Oh, please, quit your worrying. Nothing’s going to happen just ‘cause you guys are five minutes late.” Dinah brushed it off, leaving an affectionate kiss on top of Sin’s head as she passed behind her, loaded up again with a new plate that she placed in the free spot on the table.

To Barbara’s surprise, Dinah moved her gaze towards her, winking to acknowledge her presence without saying a word; she’d known the whole time. And even after all this time, Barbara smiled like the first day, daring to slip out of the shadows of the hallway as she advanced her chair towards the light soaking through the curtainless window. 

Everyone’s greetings were quickly interrupted when the last chorus arrived and, of course, everyone involved in the concert had to make the most of it, as if it were the last time in their lives they’d ever be able to sing. Sin joined in on the lines she’d managed to memorize in the last few minutes, while Helena only rolled her eyes, shaking her head disapprovingly.

“Bring me a higher love, whoaa,” Dinah’s melodic voice rose above even the radio, and Barbara couldn’t do anything other than watch her, hypnotized. It was a silly, outdated song, but it seemed to be enough to raise the blonde’s spirits. Always the optimist, always thinking everything would turn out well.

The canary moved closer to her, sitting down at her side and giving her hand a small squeeze in greeting, a gesture Barbara returned just a moment later. She had to wait for the song to end for all the birds to turn their attention back towards breakfast. Barbara didn’t want to share anything from the night’s final report. Her agents had turned in once they’d gotten the situation under control, they didn’t have to take the blame for what was out of their control; that was the job of the all-knowing Oracle. Instead she allowed her attention to center in on their morning conversation. Zinda’s latest discoveries in this era: technology was turning out to be quite the treasure for the World War II pilot. And at the same time, quite the mystery for Sin who, nevertheless, was amazed by everything about this new world she’d been disconnected from.

The familiarity and normalcy of the scene was surreal. Superheroines who, hours before, had come face to face with the worst Gotham had to offer, and who, now, in the early hours of the morning, were fighting over the last cup of coffee amidst empty threats when they didn’t sing along to the song playing in the background. And she knew who the architect of that normalcy was. Dinah. There weren’t many things she could hide from her, and although they hadn’t talked about it, when Dinah had returned last night, their expressions had said it all. They had barely made it out of that fight. She was still trying to erase the image from last night, when Scarecrow had fought against Dinah and managed to reach her with the claws of his hands. It wasn’t serious, just another wound to add to the list and recuperate from over the coming days. Even so, it was a reminder that another outcome was possible every night they went out to fight. The mortality of her agents was beyond evident against some of their rivals, and especially so when they joined forces with other vigilantes who were practically gods next to them. And all of them trusted Oracle to find the best solution, the best strategy, as if she had all the answers and lived up to her name.

She shook her head slightly when she felt the anxiety growing little by little inside her chest. She searched the table for her coffee cup, looking for something to distract herself with, only to be surprised when Dinah placed it into her hand, filled not with coffee but with tea. She smiled with sincere gratitude at the gesture. She figured that as soon as she ate something she would go to sleep, and coffee wouldn’t help her with that. She hadn’t thought of it, but Dinah, always attentive, had already thought ahead. Overwhelmed with emotion, she looked through glazed eyes until she met the blue ones of the woman across from her, who was waiting for her with nothing but genuine concern in her expression. In that same instant, she decided she had reached her limit. She leaned towards the blonde to kiss her. A move that in any other moment she would have agonized over whether or not to make, she let herself take without a thought. It wasn’t any secret that they’d been together for some time, but they had always kept any displays of affection as something intimate, mainly for the good of the team. But in that moment, she had needed it. She wanted the certainty that a new day was possible, that a fresh opportunity to make things right and win was still on the table. And only Dinah, her presence, and her unyielding optimism was capable of that feat. The woman across from her continued the kiss, letting it stay a simple caress and helping herself to gently brush against the redhead’s jaw with her hands. If she’d considered that they had an audience, she didn’t show it when she parted with a wide smile.

“Get something to eat and then straight to bed to sleep,” she said, allowing her forehead to rest against Barbara’s. “I won’t take no for an answer.” She prevented any possible protest. “I have plans for us this afternoon.”

She said nothing else and, judging by how she had returned her attention to breakfast, Babs knew that she wouldn’t be able to coax a thing out of her until the time came. Being the most prescient person in the world was not compatible with surprises. But somehow, the two of them had made it work since they met.

None of those present said a word about the kiss that had just taken place. In fact, all of Zinda’s attention was occupied trying to describe the latest game she’d tried out at an arcade to Sin, while Helena checked the clock one last time and ended breakfast, standing up to encourage the others with several claps. Dinah’s guffaws were the perfect harmony to the pilot’s complaints.

“See you later, sis,” Sin said goodbye, hugging Dinah before going to pick up her backpack. Given that she attended the same school where Helena taught, Helena was charged with taking her in most of the time.

They had to wait a few more minutes before silence and all the serenity that came with it resumed its hold over the tower. Both women enjoyed breakfast with their eyes lost in the spectacular view of the city they had at that height. Dinah was the first to finish, and after a moment, stood up and started to clear the table and all the mess she’d made from cooking. Barbara tried to help her, but Dinah stopped her, telling her she had to rest. Barbara agreed but didn’t move from where she was, losing her gaze in her partner’s movements.

“Dinah,” she said after a time. “I’m sorry. Last night I should have been faster. I should have been more… I should be…” Words seemed to flee from the ever-articulate librarian.

It was time for Dinah to abandon what she was doing to get closer to Babs and lean down to match her partner’s height.

“We’ll do better next time, Babs. It’s just a bad streak,” she reassured with a smile, and a stroke of the other’s hand.

A shame that the rational part of Barbara always spoke the loudest.

“And if we don’t?” she asked, dreading the possibility.

Dinah shrugged her shoulders.

“I’ll make pancakes again.”

They stayed in silence for a moment, until it was broken by Dinah’s favorite sound: Barbara’s laugh. The hacker’s laughter resonated throughout the room, impossible to contain in the face of such a simple response, and one that, she had no idea how, had managed to alleviate some of the tension she bore on her shoulders.

Maybe it wasn’t about avoiding bad days, but putting up with them by the side of someone who could bring you a smile at the worst moments. A breakfast in the company of her friends, singing a silly song, witnessing the most ridiculous dance in the world. Saving the small moments of happiness in the blackest days to be able to endure until better ones arrive. But they had to keep fighting, no matter the result. She couldn’t surrender, that wasn’t an option. Besides, all she needed was a reminder that with her birds, and a certain canary in particular, by her side, she could bear anything.

**Author's Note:**

> translator's note: i thought this fic was adorable and deserved to be read by more people and i am immensely grateful to tania for trusting me to translate it! if you can read spanish even a little i fully recommend reading the original text as i think it's quite beautiful.


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